How much you love me
by auzziewitch
Summary: Elizabeth asks a simple question and gets a better answer than she expected. WE Please RR


In recent times, I've become a little obsessed with the life Elizabeth and Will had between the end of CotBP and the beginning of DMC. The only way at this stage I can look into this life is through one-shots, and this is my second one, the first being _Handling a Sword_. (See it in the M section)

**Title: How much you love me  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Elizabeth asks a simple question, and gets a longer answer than she expected.  
Disclaimer: All things POTC belong to Disney and those down at Bruckheimer, and everything else I can't remember.**

Elizabeth couldn't help but giggle. But then again, that was what she always did whenever Will tickled her. This was how they spent their time together, the mornings he taught her to swordfight, and both of them relished the opportunity to be physical with the other. In the afternoons he would visit her up atop the high hill that overlooked Port Royal and she would teach him to dance so that their bridal waltz would not cause her humiliation. (It must be noted that her father had requested these lessons and she had very quickly agreed with him.) Then, in the evening he would have supper with them, and they would sit in the courtyard behind the house staring up at the star-struck sky talking and laughing, before she would retire and he would leave for the shop. Every so often, he would make a detour up to her bedroom and wouldn't leave until the sun's light was just beginning to suggest day-break.

Right now, it was raining and Will and Elizabeth had been forced into the sitting room overlooking the town and bay. A fire was roaring in the fireplace and was the only source of light within the room. Will had forgotten the reason he was tickling his beloved fiancé, only aware that he loved the way her body squirmed, the smile on her face and the sound of her laugh.

Eventually, her consistent pleas to be released, and the tiredness wandering into his fingers caused him to stop tickling her sides, and instead, just drink in the sight of her.

Against the orange glow of the flames, her skin burned shades of bronze and gold, and there were a series of beads of sweat on her forehead that perfectly distorted the flames, but caused her skin to ripple and appear like liquid.

Her eyes were closed as he watched her, and when they opened, her eyes which always had a bright brilliance to them, now glowed a darker than chocolate shade, and to Will, appeared to be full of love and desire.

"What?" She smiled noticing he was staring at her.

"You're so beautiful." He breathed as though she were a dream and shaking his head as though he couldn't believe what he saw.

Elizabeth blushed closing her eyes and glancing away from him. "Tell me how much you love me?" She whispered, this time staring into his own dark chocolate eyes.

Will looked at her for a moment considering. After a long pause he began, "I cannot begin to describe my love for you, Lizzy" he chuckled watching her face show mock anger. He knew how much she detested being called Lizzy. After receiving a playful poke in the ribs he continued, "For there are no words to begin with." He smiled kissing the tip of her nose.

"Okay," she began not satisfied with his answer. "Tell me why you love me." She shifted underneath him.

This response he smiled at, and initially answered by placing his hand within hers and locking their fingers together in the same way that centuries of lovers before them, and after them do.

"I love the way you smile." He dropped a kiss on her lips.

"I love the way you giggle." He kissed her neck.

"I love your nose." He kissed her nose. "I love the way it perfectly juts out from your face." Elizabeth giggled at this response.

"I love your teeth, how they always seem to glow and make your smile so much brighter." He kissed her jaw.

"I love your hair, how it gets in the way of your eyes and allows me to win when we're fighting." She playfully hit him.

"I love your eyes, especially now, with the fire causing them to glow like melted dark chocolate. I love the way you walk; I love the way you carry yourself: your poise, your grace."

"I love your kindness to people, and your playfulness." She smiled at him, feeling her face begin to heat.

"I love your kiss." He whispered, kissing her passionately, feeling her hands slide up his back and into his hair. "I love the way you kiss." He chuckled, resting his forehead against hers.

"I love your hands, how their touch always sends shivers down my spine and makes me want to ravish you." At this Elizabeth truly blushed, and Will smiled as she looked away.

"I love how I can embarrass you, and cause your body to tremble." He was again kissing her jaw again, slowly moving down to the nape of her neck which always made her squirm and groan.

"I just love you, Elizabeth." He whispered in her ear.

Elizabeth opened her eyes and stared up into him. When she had asked him to tell her why he loved her, she hadn't expected him to go into such an in-depth response, and as he had said more and more, she had felt her heart beating wildly beneath her bosom, and wished so desperately that they were already married. But still, she had to make fun of him.

"I was expecting so much more." She sighed, before feeling Will's fingers begin to tickle her sides again.

"No you weren't." Will whispered, once again laughing as he heard her shrieks.

Meanwhile, down the hall, and in a dimly lit room, Governor Swann was sitting at his desk, sipping a brandy. From the parlor, he could hear Elizabeth's shrieks, and having discovered they were only from Will tickling her, he had spent the entire time in his study chuckling and smiling about the exploits of young love.

He remembered his own courtship of Elizabeth's mother, and how deeply affected he had been when she'd died. The day of her funeral, he made a promise to himself that he would raise Elizabeth, all by himself, to be a wonderful young lady, just like her mother had been, and to love her like no father could love a daughter.

After a while, the shrieks subsided, and where replaced with silence, but Governor Swann didn't notice, as he continued to think about his late wife, her smile, her laugh, her passion and love of life. It was when he was locked away in his study would he allow thoughts of her to consume him, and, on key, a lone tear escaped his eye. He didn't bother wiping it away, just let it fall. The sounds of more shrieks entered his mind and caused him to jump weakly, and when he remembered what they were from, he laughed, the lone tear, now nothing but a trail from his eye to the corner of his mouth.

After several minutes, he glanced up at the small clock on his mantle-piece. It was fast approaching ten thirty, and sleep flooded his thoughts. He downed the last of his brandy, replacing his wig atop his head, and started for the parlor.

The sight of Will Turner, face down on the sofa, with Elizabeth's arms appearing to move underneath his shirt, made the Governor's blood boil. When the young couple noticed the Governor's presence, they sprang from the sofa, their faces both much darker because of the lack of light and their bright red faces. But the Governor was relieved when he noticed that they were both still properly dressed, other than Will's shirts untucked.

Once Will had made his leave, he found himself on the steps outside, and collapsed against the wall in a great fit of laughter. It was a similar way Elizabeth reacted once she'd been put to bed. The moment her maid had left her, she couldn't help but laughing, and longed for the day she would be married to Will, so they would never be in a position to be interrupted by her father, or face certain embarrassment.

Eventually the young couple fell asleep in different beds, thinking of nothing but the other, and how deep their love lay.


End file.
